Regulator for incandescent lamps.



No. 686,9l0. Patented Nov. I9, |90l.

F. C. SCHUFIELD.

REGULATOR FOR INCANDESGENT LAMPS.

(Application lod Har. 9, 1901.)

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l BY A TTOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK O. SCHOFIELD, OF LONACONING, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOANDREW SPIER AND IVIIILIAM J. MOONEY, OF LONA- OONING, MARYLAND.

REGULATOR FOR INCANDESCENT LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent NO. 686,910, dated November19, 1901.

Application filed March 9 1901, Serial No. 50,468. \No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK C. SCHO- FIELD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lonaconing, in the county of Allegheny and State ofMaryland, have invented a new and useful Regulator for IncandescentLamps, of which the following is a speeilication.

This invention relates to improvements in A,regulators for incandescentelectric lamps;

and the object is to provide a simple construction for readily andconveniently regulating the intensity of the electric current for thepurpose of increasing or decreasing the illuminating power of the lamp.

The invention contemplates the use of a resistance in connection with anincandescent lamp with means for including more or less of saidresistance in the circuit, according to whether it is desired toincrease or decrease the intensity of the light.

With the above object in view the invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction hereinafter ful'ly described, particularlypointed out in the` claims, and clearly illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, in Which- Figure l is an elevation of an incandescent lampprovided with my improved regulator; Fig. 2, a longitudinal View, partlyin section, through the regulator; Fig. 3, a diagrammatic view showingthe manner of ceiling the resistance about the body; Fig. 4, alongitudinal sectional view of the body with the casing thereof and thewires removed; Fig. 5, a plan view of the outer end of the body, showingthe terminals positioned thereon; and Fig. 6, a perspective View of thecircuit-closing ring.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying'drawings, Adesignates an incandescent electric lamp provided with the usual socketB, the same being of the ordinary construction and forming no part of mypresentinvention.

My improved regulator consists of a body C, having a centrallongitudinally-extending bore D and formed upon its outer surface withannular liangesor ribs E, which divide it into a number of spaces orwire-receiving sections. The inner end of the body is formed with aVshoulder F, upon which the circuitmaking ring slides or rotates, aswill be more fully described hereinafter. Said body is formed of somenon-conductive material and at its inner end carries a screw-threadednipple G, by means of which itis attached to the socket B of theincandescent lamp. The body is formed at its outer end with an annularflange H, and secured upon the outer side of said outer end are theplates I, which form terminals for the ends ofthe line-wires J. Theseterminals have their ends bent downwardly into grooves or recessesformed in the edge of iiange H, asillustrated at K in Figs. 2 and 3.

L designates the resistance-wire, which is wound about the body C in thesections formed thereon in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. Saidresistance-Wire is started from one of the terminals I and wound in therst section or space upon the body one or more layers deep. It thencrosses the separating-rib E to the next space, and so on until theinnermost space is reached, when it is Wound in a reverse direction backto the other terminal I, to which it is connected. Vherever the wire ofthis resistance' crosses one of the ribs E in both its winding from oneof the terminals and its winding to the other terminal, it is solderedor otherwise secured to a wire M. Thus the wire in each section or spaceon the body O has two wires M connected therewith and extendingdownwardly to the bottom of the body, the iirst pair of wires eX-tending directly from the terminals, so as to cut out all of theresistance when the circuit is closed between said wires by acircuit-closer presently to be described.

Rotatable upon shoulder F is a ring P, having upon its inner side acontact-spring Q, which as the ring is rotated contacts with the wiresM, closing the circuit between any two thereof and including as much ofthe resistance as desired or cutting the same entirely out, therebyregulating the intensity of the light.

The body is provided with a casing R, having formed therein vent-holesS. At the upper end of the casing is a cap T, 'having an opening for theline-wires to extend therethrough and when in position upon the casingentirely covering the terminals I.

One ofthe wires from the source of electricity is connected with one ofthe lampwires, as shown in Fig. 3, while the other is connected with oneof the terminals I. The other terminal I is connected with the otherwire of the lamp, as clearly illustrated in said figure. i

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a verysimple construction for regulating the intensity of electricincandescent lamps by including more or lessV of the resistance in theelectric circuit according as it is desired to increase or decrease thepower of the lamp, the regulator being in series with the lamp.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A regulator for incandescent electric lamps comprising a body portionprovided with circumferential ribs, resistance coils wound aroundthebodyandlyingin thespaces between said ribs, wires leading to thecoils, a ring rotatable on the body, the latter having an annularshoulder to support the ring and the ring having a circuit-closer on itsinner face, and a casing surrounding the re sistance-coils,substantially as described.

2. A regulator for incandescent electric lamps comprising a body portionprovided with circumferential ribs, resistance coils Wound around thebody and lying in the spaces between said ribs, wires leading to thecoils, a ring rotatable on the body, the latter having an annularshoulder to support the ring and the ring having a circuit-closer on itsinner face, a perforated casing, the lower edge of which is contiguousto the upper edge of the ring, and a cap for said casing having a holefor the leading-in wires, substantially as described.

FREDERICK C. SCI'IO FIELD.

Witnesses:

' R. A. BULLocK, ARCHIE DIXON.

